1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic visual display systems and more particularly to a real time visual messaging device for displaying messages received via high speed networks from remote sources.
2. Description of Related Art
Visual messaging devices are commonly used to display visual messages in the form of words, letters and figures. Such devices include a display unit that usually includes a matrix of illuminating elements, such as light emitting diodes (LED's). Messages are communicated or transmitted from remote control devices such as computers or servers over high speed networks such as local area networks (LAN's), wide area networks, the internet and the like.
In a large number of applications, such as manufacturing facilities, entertainment and other areas, it is very desirable to display the visual messages substantially in real time. The commonly used remote units transmit messages in the form of digital data at relatively high data rate (large bandwidth), typically in excess of one (1) megabits per second. Message information when used at the transmitted rate, i.e., without reducing the bandwith, can allow the messages to be displayed substantially in real time and provide real time two-way interaction between the messaging device and the remote unit with respect to the status and other important display parameters. It can also greatly enhance the visual features such as animation, scrolling, etc.
The prior art visual messaging devices first substantially reduce the received data rate, usually to about 10K bauds/second. Such devices are inefficient in the use of the transmitted data, do not provide the substantially real-time display or real-time two way interaction between the visual display device and the remote unit and thus significantly reduces the effect of display features and also severely limits the information that is communicated back to the remote unit.
The present invention provides a display messaging system wherein the visual display messaging device displays the messages substantially in real-time and communicates or interfaces with the remote unit in real-time.